The subject matter herein relates generally to interconnecting circuit boards, and more particularly, to interposer assemblies that are configured to electrically interconnect different circuit boards with each other.
Interposer assemblies include a planar body that includes one or more contacts extending therethrough. The contacts protrude from each of the opposite sides of the planar body. A first circuit board that includes conductive traces and/or pads on one side mates with the contacts protruding from one side of the planar body. A second circuit board that also includes conductive traces and/or pads on one side mates with the contacts protruding from the opposite side of the planar body. The circuit boards sandwich the interposer assembly between the circuit boards and are electrically coupled with one another by the contacts in the interposer assembly.
In order for the conductive pads and/or traces of the circuit boards to mate with the contacts of the interposer assembly, the conductive pads/traces must be aligned with the contacts. Some known interposer assemblies include frames mounted to the opposite sides of the interposer assemblies. These frames are positioned on the interposer assemblies to guide the circuit boards toward the contacts in the interposer assembly. For example, the frames may at least partially encircle or extend around the outer perimeter of the contacts on one or more of the sides of the interposer assembly. A circuit board may engage or be placed within the frame(s) on one side of the interposer assembly to align the pads/traces of the circuit board with the contacts of the interposer assembly.
But, the frames mounted to the interposer assembly may include dimensional faults that can lead to misalignment between the pads/traces of the circuit board and the contacts of the interposer assembly. For example, frames that are molded from dielectric materials may be warped or twisted such that the frames cannot be mounted on the interposer assembly to align the circuit board with the contacts. The dimensional tolerances of the interposer assembly may be relatively small such that the warped or twisted frames may be unusable.
A need exists for an interposer assembly that includes a frame to guide and align a circuit board in a mated relationship with contacts in the interposer assembly while allowing for dimensional faults in the frame.